| Health Impact Assessment | Analysis and management of health impacts associated with new projects has become as important as management of environmental and social issues. A growing recognition of good health as a basic human right means there is rising demand to understand and manage health issues associated with project development.
From HIV/Aids to clean water, health is a global priority, with growing emphasis on preventative health measures as a practical cost effective approach. Therefore Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a logical development that complements existing requirements for environmental and social impact assessments. Health risks to local communities are one of the most common but poorly understood objections to infrastructure development projects. By undertaking an HIA, developers can address concerns in an informed and constructive manner.
Though a relatively new field, HIA has rapidly become an important tool in the development of plans, policies and projects combining a range of expertise to:
- identify susceptible communities;
- ensure that potential negative and positive health outcomes are not overlooked;
- suggest a means to minimise harm and maximise health benefits;
- link environment, health & community concerns, providing a more holistic and transparent assessment; and
- facilitate greater integration and co-ordination between plans, policies and projects across all sectors by identifying new opportunities to protect and improve health.
Global support, and an increasing requirement for HIA, is now appearing in legislation as the Human Rights Act and EU directives stemming from the Amsterdam Treaty and the Aarhus Convention. Interest in HIA is likely to further increase as the European Union establishes the requirement of mechanisms to ensure a high level of protection in the definition and implementation of all Community policies and activities (Article 152 of the Treaty of Rome), and the inclusion of human health protection within Strategic Environmental Assessment, brought into effect by Regulation in 2004. The result is the rapid development and implementation of HIA, with the European Union, World Health Organisation, World Bank and international development agencies actively promoting HIA.
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